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Assemblymember Ra urges greater transparency in "chapter amendment" process while voting for bill
Summary
Assemblymember Ra criticized the legislature's chapter-amendment process as "one of the least transparent things we do" during floor debate on a bill to amend the Executive Law, but said he would vote in favor; the chamber then passed the measure by recorded vote.
Assemblymember Ra criticized the legislature's use of "chapter amendments" as opaque practice while explaining why he planned to vote for a bill to amend the Executive Law.
"The chapter amendment process is one of the least transparent things we do in this government," Ra said on the Assembly floor, urging members to evaluate each amendment on its merits rather than treating the package as a foregone conclusion. He added, "With that said, I'm gonna be voting in the affirmative on this bill, but I think there are more transparent ways we can operate this government."
Ra's remarks came during consideration of a rules-report bill (Assembly No. 519) described by the Clerk as "an act to amend the Executive Law." After Ra's explanation, the Assembly recorded the vote as "Ayes 145, Nos 0," and the bill was passed as announced on the floor.
The session included several other rules-report items and short readings of bills to amend the Executive Law. Where the Clerk provided recorded tallies, the transcript shows the following outcomes: Assembly No. 519 passed (Ayes 145, Nos 0); Assembly No. 596 passed (Ayes 147, Nos 0); Assembly No. 693 passed (Ayes 146, Nos 1); Assembly No. 1020 passed (Ayes 148, Nay 0). The Clerk read only the final sections and effective dates during the floor sequence; the transcript does not provide bill text or substantive provisions on the floor.
Ra's floor explanation focused on process and transparency, not the substance of the underlying amendments. He urged scrutiny of each chapter amendment and warned against automatic passage simply because changes had been agreed to elsewhere in the process.
After the rule-report votes, Assemblymember People Stokes moved to advance the A calendar. The House advanced the calendar and adjourned until Wednesday, Jan. 15; the Clerk announced the Governor's State of the State address would be at 1 p.m. the same day at the Hart Theatre.
The floor debate and recorded votes were procedural and the transcript does not include the text of the Executive Law amendments; the bills' substantive language must be obtained from the Clerk's office or bill texts posted on the Legislature's website for full review.
